NRM elections spark chaos and bribery allegations

29 August 2025, 2:22 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The just concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) elections at Kololo ceremonial grounds have sparked controversy, with several contestants alleging bribery and irregularities in the process.

Ciconco Brenda, who contested for the leadership of the Youth League, rejected the results, saying that the person declared winner, Tanga Collins, did not win fairly. She accused the NRM electoral process of being marred by bribery and vowed not to accept the outcome.

However, Dr. Tanga Odoi, the chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, declared Tanga Collins as the duly elected leader of the Youth League. Speaking to journalists in Kampala, Collins maintained that he won by a large margin and called on his opponents to join him in serving the country’s youth.

“I want to thank the NRM Electoral Commission for the work done. The chaos on that day was caused by Ciconco Brenda. The young people voted, and they voted in my favor. The election was free and fair because I scored 1,567 votes while Brenda got 1,355 votes. If the tribunal says we should repeat the elections, we are not going to repeat because it is not necessary,” Collins said.

It should be noted that the former Speaker of Parliament and current Minister for East African Community Affairs, Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga, also criticized the elections, claiming they were not free and fair and were marred by bribery. Kadaga lost to current Speaker Rt. Hon. Anita Among, who was elected as second vice national chairperson female.

Majority of those elected into the NRM central executive committee are new members, with several prominent leaders losing their positions, including Minister of ICT and National Guidance Hon. Chris Baryomunsi.

Fred Kawaga, a political analyst, warned that the controversy surrounding the elections could have consequences for the party in the forthcoming general elections. He advised Kadaga not to quit the NRM but rather to work with Speaker Among for the good of the party and the country.

“I don’t think it is a good idea for the former Speaker to quit the NRM, because this might cost her deeply in the coming elections. It’s true that there was bribery, but it is the party tribunal to decide. The public should be vigilant about the coming general elections because the elections won’t be as usual,” Kawaga noted.